About Crab Fishing

While crab fishing is a major industry in Alaska, it is just as important in waters such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay. Beyond that, crabbing is also a popular recreational activity that is every bit as easy and engaging as regular fishing.

Crab Pots

While their size varies, the basics of crab pot design are fairly uniform. They consist of steel mesh cages with a network of mesh or nets inside, allowing crabs entry while barring their escape.

Crab Dredges

An alternative to the pot is the crab dredge. This is an iron bar with several 5- to 7-inch-long teeth and an attached bag, which is dragged along the bottom to collect crabs.

Recreational Crabbing

The recreational crabbing kit is rarely as elaborate. A crabbing hoop net is baited with chicken necks and thrown over the side of a pier or boat, left on the bottom and periodically hauled to the surface after about 10 minutes.

The Chesapeake

One of the major crabbing areas in the U.S. is the Chesapeake Bay, crabbed by fishermen from Maryland and Virginia. Maryland's commercial crabbers produce half of the nation's blue crab catch.

Alaska

Another major crabbing area is in the waters of Alaska, where the king crab and snow crab industries have been made famous by the Discovery Channel's popular documentary-reality show "The Deadliest Catch."

Fun Fact

In 2006, Business Week described being an Alaska crab fisherman as one of the worst-but-best paying jobs in America. However, the average Alaska deckhand's pay of $50,000 far outstrips the national average, which is only half as much.

Article Written By Edwin Thomas

Edwin Thomas has been writing since 1997. His work has appeared in various online publications, including The Black Table, Proboxing-Fans and others. A travel blogger, editor and writer, Thomas has traveled from Argentina to Vietnam in pursuit of stories. He holds a Master of Arts in international affairs from American University.

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